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Olympus Pen F
Description the Pen F The Pen F is a half-frame single lens reflex camera introduced in 1963 by Olympus. It is designed by the highly respected and quite famous engineer Maitani Yoshihisa , who also has created the Olympus Pen point-and-shoot series, as well as the OM-1 and the Olympus XA. The original model is easily recognized by its big golden gothic letter F engraved to the right on the front plate, where later models sport a selftimer lever. The Pen F is a quite compact camera with a porro prism viewfinder, which completely avoids the traditional SLR prism bulge because the reflex mirror flips sideways, resulting in a compact viewfinder arrangement. The Pen F has a bayonet mount for interchangeable lenses. There is a release button and a depth of field preview button at the top of the lens close to the lens mount. The focal plane shutter, which uses a rotating metal disc, has synchronisation at all speeds right up to 1/500 sec. The wind lever must be operated twice before each exposure, the high gear ratio thought necessary to wind the stiff shutter spring effortlessly, and Maitani, growing up with Leicas, would at first accept the early Leica M3 twin stroke concept as fast. The camera has no built-in light meter, but a separately available one can be placed on the shutter-speed dial, attached to a two-pronged bayonet mount by a 90-degree twist. A small narrow button on the side releases the meter. The shutter speed dial is operated by a serrated ring at the lower side of the meter. Some 190,000 cameras of this first model were made. The Pen FT The Pen FT with a built-in TTL exposure meter replaced the Pen F in 1966, but the finder image is slightly dimmer since some light is directed to the meter cell. The meter is not coupled to the diaphragm ring. The photographer sets the shutter and the appropriate aperture is indicated in the viewfinder. However, the indicator uses proprietary exposure values based on the number of aperture stops. The corresponding exposure values are marked on the lens barrel aperture ring and can be seen in the picture to the left. The Pen FT also introduced a single-stroke advance with a longer wind lever, and a self-timer. The latter has a large lever at the front where the gothic F on the first model was placed. The release button is at the hub of the self-timer lever. This model was available in chrome and less commonly in black paint. Some 275,000 Pen FT cameras were made. The Pen FV The Pen FV was launched in 1967 and is a Pen FT without the light meter, but with the single stroke lever and the self-timer. It is the least common of the three models; about 45,000 cameras were made. A significant range of Pen F lenses were made available, as well as an extensive range of Pen F accessories. Many adaptors exist to mount other types of lenses to the Pen F. Special models Special models for microphotography and medical use, sometimes found for sale, has a round viewfinder image and is not well suited for normal use. Converting the finder is complex and not considered practical. The medical models are never marketed with the gothic F, and were not available with a self-timer. Lenses and accessories The Pen F system was at the time the first complete, system made by Olympus. It offers a variety of 17 dedicated lenses and a full range of accessories. The Olympus OM system eventually replaced it. Notes Bibliography * Links General links In English: * Pen F, Pen FT, Pen FV and special models by Claus Marin (at Wayback: some links may not work, and some graphics may be missing) * Manual available on the Favorite Classics section of .kyphoto.com * Pages at .kyphoto.com Favorite Classics: ** Olympus Pen FT repair tips by Henry Taber ** Olympus Pen F Nostalgia by Russell Hamilton ** Olympus Pen F Technical Exploration by Stuart Willis ** How to make an Olympus Pen F/FT/FV to Nikon lens adapter * Olympus Pen F, FT, FV at Cameraquest *Yoshihisa Maitani and the cult of Olympus at Classic Cameras by RaúlM. In German: * Olympus Pen F in Frank Mechelhoff's camera site In French: * On www.collection-appareils.fr by Sylvain Halgand : ** Olympus Pen F / FT / FV ** Olympus Pen FT ** Olympus Pen FV * Lionel's Olympus Pen F, Pen FT, Pen FV at 35mm-compact.com In Japanese: * Half-moon, a website fully devoted to the Pen and Pen F series * Olympus Pen F series at the Olympus Photo Club website * Pen FT Black at Nagoya's Camera Club * Olympus Pen FT at Hayata Camera Laboratory Documentation In English: * Instruction manual of the Pen F and Pen FT at .kyphoto.com Favorite Classics, contributed by Henry Taber * US patents: ** "Drive for rotary shutter used in camera," 1966 ** "Shutter device for single-lens reflex camera," 1966 ** "Viewfinder for single-lens reflex camera," 1966 Category: Half-frame SLR Category: Japanese half-frame Category: Japanese SLR Pen F Category: O Pen F